Cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators



Oct. 15, 1929. J. G. KING 1,732,091

COOLING UNIT FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS Filed Feb. 6, 1926 Z'Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 15, 1929. J. G. KING 1,132,091

COOLING UNIT FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS Filed Feb. 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Patented Oct. 15 1.929

UNITED STATES ATENT orrlca J'ESSE G. KING, OF DAYTON, OHIlIO, ASSIGNOR, B Y MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO F RIGID AIRE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COOLING- UNIT roa nmcm cu. aarmoaaa'roas Application nled'l'ebruary 8, 1828. Serial No. 86,587.

This invention relates to cooling unitsfor mechanical refrigerators.

An object ofthe present invention is tifprovide an improved cooling unit having heat exchange means in intimate thermal contact with a refrigerant and constructed and arranged so' as to provide a freezing zone including a plurality of compartments for ice .trays and constructed and arranged to provide heat exchange means for coolin circulating air. The invention contemp ates a main or central heat transfer section, which may be utilized as a central freezing section, and heat transfer means which extends laterally from the main section to provide suit-' to a considerable extent during a period of several weeks, and havingother portions of refrigerant ducts providin .a cooling'zone projecting freely into the circulating air for cooling said air and also shield the freezing zone from the warming action of the circulating air. With this construction the air cooling portions will defrost'more rapidly than the freezing compartment portions due to being more intimately associated with the circulating air which ordinarily is consid erably above'freezing point. The maximum and minimum temperatures of the grefrigerant due to the intermittent running of the refrigerant compressor may be so chosen. that.

the exposed air-cooling portions will completely defrost during each idle period of the compressor while the freezing zone portions will only partially defrost due to being less intimately associated with the circulating air and hence the freezing compartment itself will never be subjected to a tempera tare-above 32 F. An obvious advantage of defrosting the air cooling" portions at each cycle is that much better heat conductivity between the refrigerant and circulating air present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being bad.

to the accompanying drawings, wherein -a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

' Fig.1 shows a cooling unit built-according to this invention installed in a conven tional type of ice box having'a wide narrowdepth ice chamber in the top thereof.

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the cooling .unit on an enlarged scale, but with the ice trays removed from their sleeves. Fig. 3 isa plan of the cooling unit of' Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof. Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views. Y

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a of ice trays ma be 10- conventional type of ice box having a lower food chamber 11 and an upper ice chamber 12 extending across the full lateral width of the .box. When ice is used in such a box, it rests upon the'floor 13 of the chamber 12. The warmer air from food chamber 11 rises through the two side flues 14, circulates around the ice and then passes down through the central flue opening 15' in the floor 13. 16is a drip ductflfor conveying away the water from the melting ice as 'well as any water which may be condensed on the walls of chamber 12. a

' Now this invention provides a coolin unit for mechanical refrigeration which,

eln substituted for ice in the chamber 12, fills thg entire chamber in such a way as to get efiicient cooling of the air and proper air circulation and yet at the same time shields the freezing zone from the circulating air so that ice maybe frozen therein within a convenient period of time.

The cooling unit comprises an elongated header tank 20 which serves as a reservoir for liquid refrigerant and contains a suitable constant level float valve therein. Liquid refrigerant is led intotank 20 through duct 21 and the vaporized refrigerant returned through duct 22 to a compressor unit which may be located in any suitable place outside the box 10. 4 I

A series of refrigerant duct loops are connected in parallel relation to the-header 20 at a point below the liquid level therein. There are three laterally arranged freezing compartments or enclosures 30, 31 and 32 which together may be termed the freezing zone of the cooling unit. These enclosures or compartments are formed and cooled by these 100 s which surround same as hereinafter descri ed in greater detail. The loops 23 have a vertical leg 33 extending down between the compartments 31 and 32 and an offset leg 34 extending up adjacent the left "of compartment 30. Similarly the loops 24 have a vertical leg 35 extending down between compartments 30 and 31 and an offset leg 36 extending up adjacent the right of compartment 32. The long loops 25 have a vertical leg 37 extending down between compartments 31 and 32 and an offset portion 38 projecting freely out into the circulating .air on the left side of the cooling unit. Similarly the long loops 26 have a vertical leg 39 extending down between compartments 30 and 31 and an offset portion 40 projecting freely out into the circulating air on-the right side of the cooling unit.

Thus the duct legs 33, 35, 37, and 39, which are immediately below the headerand the intermediate horizontal portions of the loops, constitute the main or central section of the unit, and, as here shown, it is hollowed out or fashioned to provide a central freezing compartment 31. The duct legs 33 and 37 cooperate with duct legs'36 and parts of the horizontal portions of the loops 24 and 26 to provide the compartment 32, while the duct legs 35 and 39 cooperate with the duct legs 34 and parts of thehorizontal portions of loops 23 and 25 to provide compartment 30.

Three sheet copper ice tray sleeves or containers 50 are located in the central freezing compartment or enclosure 31, preferably by that the sleeves 50 and 51 will aidin conducting the heat from the tray contents to the refrigerant in the cooling ducts since the sheet metal of the sleeves serve as heat conducting fins. Since the sleeves in the central freezing- 32 it is obvious that the central compartment v will freeze water quicker than said side compartments. Also the central compartment is more or less shielded from the circulating air 3 by the sleeves of the two side compartments. Hence the central compartment may be used for freezing ice at a rapid rate when ice is wanted quickly, and the two side compartments used for increasing the ice freezing and storage capacity of the unit.

- An important feature of this invention is the provision of the laterally projecting duct portions 38 and 40 which extend out into the circulating air some considerable distance from the freezing compartments. Of course the circulating air which rises up through the fines 14 is cooled by the entire cooling surface of the unit, however the cooling surface of the portions 38 and 40 is much more intimately mixed with the circulating air than the rest of the unit and hence these portions cool the air at a much greater rate per unit surface. Also, the portions 38 and 40 precool the circulating air to a certain extent before the air comes in contact with the freezing zone and thereby shields the freezing zone from the warming action of'the circulating air.

An: advantage resulting from extending the portions 38 and 40 a considerable distance from the freezing compartments is as follows: The compressor which supplies the liquid refrigerant to this unit may have its control so set that it begins operating and starts withdrawing the refrigerant vapor through the duct 22 only after the duct portions 38 and 40 reach a temperature slightly above freezing point, for instance 32 F. The compressor will then continue to'operate until the re frigerant in the cooling unit reaches a desired minimum temperature, for instance 12 F., when automatic controls will stop the compressor. Such automatic controls for starting and stopping the compressor at the desired maximum and minimum temperatures is well known in the art and hence will not be herein described. Now during, the greater portion of one complete cycle of such a system the refrigerant in the cooling unit will be greatly below freezing point and hence frost will gather and build up on the outside of "the entire unit. However during that part of the cycle when the refrigerant is at a temperature at or slightly above freezing point this frostwill be reduced by the circulating air which ordinarily is considerably above freezing point. "Since the circulating air comes into intimate contact with the exposed portions 38 and 40 these portions will be defrosted at each cycle, whereas the freezing compartments being much less exposed to the circulating air and having a large duct surface within a relatively small compact space will not be defrosted at each cycle. Therefore frost will gradually build up all around the freezing compartments and form a sort of shield therefor against the circulating air. Hence the refrigerant in the ducts may have a maximum temperature slightly above 32 F. for a short period of time without tending to melt the ice in the tray's 50 since the accumulated body of frost will maintain their temperature at 32 F. during this short period. It is obviously very advantageous to defrost the portions 38 and 40 during each cycle, since these portions form a very large part of the air-cooling surface...

of the unit, and still to permit the cooling surface for the freezing compartments to retain frost continuously.

While the form ofembodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.-

l/Vhat is claimed is as follows:

1. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigeration comprising: an elongated header, a series of refrigerant ducts depending from said header and connected thereto in parallel relation along the length of said header, so as to form a plurality of compartments for icemaking receptacles located below said header, said ducts having a sufiicient portion of their lengths adj accnt said compartments to maintain said compartments at a freezing temperature and another portion of their lengths spaced from said compartments to cool surrounding air.

2. A cooling unit adapted for an intermittent supply of refrigerant comprising: a header, a series of duct loops depending from said header and connected thereto in parallel,

three laterally-spaced compartments for icemakin receptacles formed by said loops, all of sai loops surrounding the center compartments while only a part of said loops surround the two side compartments, and some of said loops having a portion of their lengths projecting laterally into the circulating air at such a distance thatsaid projecting portions will defrost quicker than said side freezing compartments during the period of nonsupply of said refrigerant.

3. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising a header, a plurality of ducts connected with the header; in parallel, said ducts including conduit means providing a freezing zone and having a portion dividing said zone into a plurality of compartments for icemaking receptacles, and conduit means for cooling circulating air disposed beyond said compartments.

4. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising conduit means providing a freezing zone and having a portion dividing said zone into a plurality of compartments for ice-making receptacles, and conduit means for cooling circulatingair horizontally disposed beyond said compartments.

5. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising conduit means providing a central compartment for an ice-making receptacle, conduit means dis osed on opposite sides of said compartment or providing oppositely disposed compartments for ice-making receptacles, and conduit means for cooling circulating air disposed beyond said compartments.

6. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising conduit means providing a central compartment for an ice-making receptacle, conduit means disposed on opposite sides of said compartment for providing oppositely disposed compartments for icemaking receptacles, and conduit means for cooling circulating air disposed on opposite sides of said compartments.

7. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising a plurality of duct loops arranged to form a plurality of laterally spaced compartments for an ice-making receptacle, portions of said loops extending between said compartments and other portions for cooling circulating air extending beyond said compartments.

8. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising a plurality of duct loops arranged to form a plurality of laterallyspaced compartments for an ice-making receptacle, portions of said loops extending alongside of one of said compartments and other portions for cooling circulating air extending beyond said compartments.

9. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising a plurality of duct loops arranged to form a plurality of laterallyspaced compartments for an ice-making receptacle, portions of said loops co-operating to provide said compartments and other portions for cooling circulating air extending beyond said compartments.

10. A cooling unit for refrigerating apparatus including a header and a plurality of ducts connected to the header, portions of the ducts cooperating to provide a freezing zone, other portions of the ducts being located remote from the freezing zone for cooling the circulating air, and portions of the ducts extending within the freezing zone to provide a plurality of compartments for ice making receptacles.

11. A cooling unit for refrigerating apparatus including a plurality of thermally conducting containers for ice-making receptacles, and a plurality of ducts connected in parallel circuit relation for circulating refrigerant, portions of the ducts being disposed adjacent the sides of the containers for cooling the containers, other portions of the ducts portions including portions extending between the containers. I

13. A cooling unit for refrigerating apparatus including a plurality of thermal y conducting supports for ice-making receptacles, and a plurality of ducts connected in parallel circuit relation for circulatin refrigerant, portions of the ducts being disposed adjacent the sides of the supports for cooling the supports, other portions of the ducts being disposed remote from the supports for cooling circulating air, and other portions of the ducts extending between the supports.

14. A cooling unit for refrigerating apparatus including a plurality of thermally conducting supports for ice-making receptacles, and a plurality of ducts connected in parallel circuit relation for circulating refrigerant, portions of the ducts being disposed adjacent the sides of the supports for cooling the supports, other portions of the ducts being disposed remote from the supports for cooling circulating air, said last mentioned portions including portions extending between the su ports. I 15. A coo ing unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising in combination a reservoir adapted to contain refrigerant,a central heat transfer section extending downwardly from said reservoir. said central section including duct means communicating with said reservoir to receive liquid refrigerant therefrom,

duct means extending laterally from said central section providing a support on either side of said central section for carrying an ice tray, and heat transfer means extending beyond said duct means for cooling circulating air.

16. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigators comprising in combination a reservoir adapted to contain refrigerant, a hollow heat transfer section adapted to receive therein an ice tray and having a refrigerant passage in communication with the interior of said reservoir, metallic heat transfer means extending laterally from said section to provide a support for an ice tray, and heat transfer means extending beyond said metallic heat transfer means for cooling circulating air.

17. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising heat exchange means in intimate contact with a refrigerant, said heat erators comprisin exchange means including conduit means providin a freezing zone and having a portion dividing said zone into a plurality of compartments for ice-making receptacles, said heat exchange means including a portion lying outwardly of the compartments for eoolm circulating air.

18. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigheat exchange means in intimate contact with a refrigerant, said heat exchange means including conduit means providin a freezing zone and having a ortion dividing said zone into a plurality of ateral ly disposed compartments for ice-making receptacles, said heat exchange means including a portion disposed laterallyof the compartments for cooling circulating air.

19. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising supports elongated rearwardly for receiving elongated ice trays thereon, a central upright heat transfer section in intimate thermal contact with a refrigerant, said supports and said upright heat transfer section being disposed laterally with respect to one another and said section extending rcarwardly and substantially coextensive with the length of said supports and thermally connected therewith, and heat transfer means spaced from the supports to cool circulating air.

20. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators comprising a main upright heat transfer section hbllowed out to receive a refrigerant therein, an ice tray support elongated rearwardly for receiving thereon an elon gated ice tray, said support overhanging said main upright section and supported from one side thereof and said main upright section extending rearwardly to substantiall the depth of said elongated support and eing connected thereto alongside thereof, and heat transfer means spaced from the supports to cool circulating air.

21. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a refrigerator cabinet having insulated side walls, means providing access to said cabinet from the front, a cooling unit within the cabinet, said cooling unit comprisin amain upright heat transfer section exten ing from front to rear and disposed substantiall midway between the insulated prising a main upright heat transfer section nature.

extendin from the front to rear and disposed su tantially midway between the insulated side walls of said cabinet, means extending from opposite sides of the main upright section toward the, side walls of said cabinet to provide a freezing com artment on either side suitable for the reception of an ice tray therein, and heat exchange means lying outwardly of the freezing compartment for cooling circulating air.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my sig- JESSE G. KING. 

